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LASTMA Official, Driver Beaten Black and Blue

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By Punch

There was pandemonium on Wednesday at the Costain area of Lagos State as an official of the Lagos State Management Authority and a bus driver were reportedly beaten to a pulp.

Punch Metro learnt that officials of LASTMA had allegedly apprehended the bus driver at the Costain bus stop, for allegedly violating a traffic rule.

It was alleged that an argument ensued between the driver, his conductor and the officials.

In the ensuing scuffle, a LASTMA official allegedly punched the driver and he slumped.

A mob was reported to have barricaded the road in protest as the driver lay on the floor, foaming in the mouth.

The mob reportedly vandalised a LASTMA patrol car which drove into the protesters at the time, beating up the officials.

They were said to have mobilised and also attacked the LASTMA office in the area and vandalised vehicles in the yard before the intervention of policemen from the Iponri division.

A witness, Ibrahim Adisa, said the incident happened around 9am.

He said, “We saw that the LASTMA officials held the bus driver at the junction for breaking traffic rule. The man did not release the vehicle to them, which started an argument. The driver and the conductor then started fighting the LASTMA men.

“One of the LASTMA officials put his hand in the pocket and brought out a ring which he used to hit the driver. The man fell and started foaming in the mouth. The officials then took his bus into their yard and left him on the ground.

“A mob barricaded the road and vandalised a LASTMA patrol car that came in that time. They beat up all the officials in the car. After that, they carried the man’s body into the LASTMA’s office and chased out the workers.”

Punch Metro learnt that the driver was later taken to a hospital after the police arrived to quell the unrest.

A motorcycle rider said the situation would have been worse but for the intervention of the police.

“Traffic was at a standstill and the hoodlums were looking for LASTMA officials or any government official to attack,” he added.

As of 3pm when our correspondent left the area, no traffic official was in sight as police patrol vehicles mounted surveillance in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding investigations were ongoing.

She said, “Yes, I can confirm that LASTMA officials impounded a vehicle and the driver and his conductor engaged the LASTMA officials in fisticuffs, which led to two losing consciousness. The two are the driver and a LASTMA official. They were both rushed to the hospital where they are currently recuperating. Investigation has commenced into the matter.”

The spokesperson for LASTMA, Mr Mahmud Hassan, in a statement, denied that the driver was beaten by an official of the agency.

He explained that some hoodlums, who were attempting to free the driver’s bus, invaded the premises of the agency and vandalised vehicles.

He said, “The commercial bus was apprehended for illegal picking and dropping of passengers in the Costain area. The commercial bus was subsequently taken to the nearest yard of the agency at Iponri for booking.

“However, in a bid to circumvent the law and retrieve the vehicle from LASTMA’s yard, the driver mobilised friends and hoodlums, who attacked the Iponri office of the agency. They injured our personnel and damaged vehicles in the yard. However, when the driver’s action did not yield the desired result, he stripped himself naked and created a scene in order to draw the sympathy of unwary members of the public.

“When the act failed, his friends and hoodlums put him in a wheelbarrow with a clear intention to cause commotion and breakdown of law and order.”

Hassan said two of the hoodlums had been arrested and would be arraigned in court.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Bashir Braimah, according to the statement, said no amount of violence would make the agency to shy away from its statutory responsibility.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

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Power Outage in Nigeria as National Grid Collapses

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By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Nigeria is currently experience a cut in power supply after the national grid collapsed for the 11th time in 2024.

This is the first time in over a month as the last time the nation witnessed a nationwide shut down in electricity supply was on November 7, 2024.

Before then, the country was experiencing an incessant collapse of the grid, which prompted the federal government to set up a team to address the issue.

However, just when Nigerians were thinking they will not witnessed another national grid collapse in the year, it issue reared its ugly head again.

On Wednesday afternoon, most of the energy distribution companies suffered power outage, prompting them to inform their customers of the situation.

One of the DisCos, Ikeja Electric Plc, in a message to electricity consumers under its franchise area, said, “Please be informed that we experienced a system outage today, December 11, 2024, at about 13:32 hours affecting supply within our network.

“Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us.”

Recall that on Tuesday, in a report, Google listed national grid as one of the top trending searches by Nigerians this year.

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NLNG to Replace Vessels in Move Towards Decarbonisation, Sustainability

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By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian LNG Limited (NLNG), which produces Nigeria’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and natural gas liquids (NGLs) for export, is planning to replace all its vessels with modern ships within the next decade.

This was disclosed by Mr Nnamdi Anowi, the General Manager of Production, NLNG, during the World Leaders’ Panel session on Tuesday in Berlin, Germany, as part of the 2024 World LNG Summit and Awards.

Speaking at the event themed “Achieving the Balance Between Energy Security and Decarbonisation,” he said the company which was incorporated in 1989 was making plans to boost its vessels to ensure proper transportation of gas for export.

“We are making significant strides in our shipping operations. Over the next 10 years, we aim to transition from our current steam-powered vessels to modern ships.

“Earlier this year, we took a major step by entering into a long-term chapter of our first modern ship Aktoras, and we are already planning to acquire a second ship next year,” he said.

On the critical issue of net zero emissions, Mr Anowi said that NLNG aspires to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

According to him, this goal is attainable through implementing a combination of solutions that include operational efficiency, natural sinks/offset projects, carbon capture and storage (CCS), net zero expansion, digital solutions and shipping efficiency.

“Our pathway to net zero aligns with Nigeria’s target of reaching net zero by 2060, while many major players in the industry are aiming for 2050.

“We are actively expanding our initiatives in this area, including several low-carbon projects,” he explained.

Regarding Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Anowi noted that the company had committed 100 per cent of its LPG production (propane and butane) to the Nigerian market.

He pointed out the urgent need for cleaner energy, citing a report that revealed that not less than 100,000 Nigerians died yearly from smoke inhalation caused by cooking with firewood, predominantly affecting women and children.

“This underscores our commitment to sustainability. It’s important to recognise that about 80 per cent of Africans lack access to cleaner energy.

“When discussing sustainability, we can not overlook the necessity of providing energy to these communities,” he added.

He further elaborated on NLNG’s strategy, stating, “Our objective at Nigeria LNG is to maintain safety, enhance capacity, foster growth, and future-proof our business.

“The recent transformation programme includes a rebranding initiative, evidenced by the unveiling of a new logo and the company’s renewed purpose: providing energy for life’s sustainability.

Mr Anowi also noted that NLNG was working diligently to improve its production capacity from 23 million tons to 30 million tons through its Train 7 Project.

“We are actively engaging with stakeholders and the government to ensure our LNG trains are filled by the end of next year,” he said.

On sustainability, Mr Anowi explained that 75 per cent of NLNG’s emissions result from its operations, with the remaining 25 per cent coming from its shipping activities.

He emphasised the importance of measurement, reduction, avoidance and mitigation strategies in their sustainability efforts.

He said that the company was also exploring CCS opportunities through partnerships with the government and other international oil companies.

“We are in the early stages of CCS implementation, assessing potential reservoirs for this purpose,” he said.

In terms of renewable energy, Anowi said that NLNG was investigating solar power projects at its offices in Abuja and Port Harcourt as part of its broader sustainability initiatives.

“We are committed to abatement efforts and are collaborating with experienced private companies to explore carbon credit opportunities.

“We must balance sustainability with affordability and reliability in energy supply.

“The African region must progress at its own pace, prioritising immediate energy needs before addressing long-term sustainability goals,” he explained.

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National Grid, Mr Ibu Among Top Trending Searches by Nigerians in 2024

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By Dipo Olowookere

Many events happened in 2024 in Nigeria but a few shook the nation because of their impact on residents of the country.

According to a report released by Google, the incessant collapse of the national grip, which plunged the nation into darkness, was among trending searches on its platform.

In the report made available to Business Post on Tuesday, the tech giant said this year’s results show a continued interest in the political and economic landscape, with searches related to the US elections, the new national anthem.

“The 2024 Year in Search offers a unique lens into the questions, interests, and conversations that shaped the lives of Nigerians this year.

“From cultural milestones to pressing concerns, these insights reflect how Search continues to be a valuable tool for users to navigate and better understand their world,” the Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, stated.

Google’s 2024 Year in Search for Nigeria showcased the most popular searches, notable individuals, actors, musicians, topics, questions, and other subjects that captured Nigerians’ attention in the year.

Google’s Year in Search is an annual analysis that reveals the top trending lists and also spotlights what the world searches to see, learn, and do.

The music scene in 2024 was marked by a surge in popularity for artists like Shallipopi and Khaid, who also featured prominently in the overall personalities list. The top trending song was “”I Don’t Care” by Boy Spyce”, followed closely by “Ozeba” and “Commas” by Ayra”. Nigerians also showed a keen interest in understanding the lyrics of various songs, with “Ogechi lyrics”, “Ozeba lyrics”, and “Omemma by Chandler Moore lyrics” leading the searches in the lyrics category.

This year, Nigerians continued to demonstrate a strong interest in entertainment with movies like “A Tribe Called Judah”, “Treasure In The Sky”, and “Damsel” topping the movie charts. The top TV series that captured the interest of Nigerian netizens included “Supacell”, “My Demon”, and “Queen of Tears”. In the culinary world, Nigerians explored diverse recipes with “Pornstar Martini recipe” leading the searches.

Concerns about personal well-being and global events were also reflected in search trends. Questions like “How much is dollar to naira today?”, “How to get perfectly defined curls for African hair?”, and “Who won the US presidential election?” topped the list of queries. Nigerians were curious about the meaning of words like “demure,” “steeze,” and “pet peeves,” turning to Search for answers.

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